Chance to hear young ideas at GI workshops

SURELY it's not too parochial to claim the Sunshine Coast as the centre of the universe, is it?

Let's step through the logic, starting with Australia.

As a young island nation with an open market economy, Australia is a medium-sized nation that punches far above its weight. We are a highly developed, safe and stable liberal democracy with a well-educated and sophisticated workforce, yet we're a humble and flexible people with a laid-back culture.

We're neither big enough nor ugly enough to be considered a major threat by other nations and yet we're strong enough and assertive enough to not be pushed around. Having great friends in our neighbourhood and abroad also helps in this regard.

There are things about Australia that the rest of the world envies: our country's natural beauty, its clean environment, terrific climate and our way of life. These characteristics - resting on such a mature, strong and free political economy - make Australia the greatest place in the world to live.

Now ask yourself: where in Australia offers the very best of these characteristics?

The answer of course is Queensland, as most Australians, some begrudgingly, would agree. Take it one step further and within Queensland, no region possesses the mix of natural beauty, clean environment, great climate and a wonderful way of life of the Sunshine Coast.

It is no wonder that our region continues to buck population trends as revealed by Professor Mike Heffernan this week, based on research by the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Who wouldn't want to live here?

Sure, we have our challenges - youth unemployment and infrastructure come to mind - but if we take a step back, draw a deep breath and look at the big picture, the Sunshine Coast of 2015 really is extraordinary.

But as we savour the present, we also need to be looking to the future. What will the Sunshine Coast be like in, say, 15 years from now?

Although we have limited influence on what happens nationally and globally, we control many levers locally and unless we take control of our destiny, someone else will.

On one hand, we want to proactively protect the things we love most about the Coast while fixing the things we like least.

But taking control of our destiny requires far more that that. It requires us to envision the type of future we want and to take real action to get there.

It's for this reason Generation Innovation is running workshops across the region to tap the creative genius of our young people. Over coming weeks, about 1000 15-25 year-olds will be strategising about the future of the Sunshine Coast: to paint a picture of what they want to see 15 years from now, and to thereby contribute to solving the challenges we face.

It may seem trite to say that young people are our future, but it is true - having worked with young people to unleash their innovation and make their ideas a commercial reality under the auspices of Generation Innovation it is undeniably the case that the younger generation are switched-on, thoughtful and creative problem solvers.

I'm thrilled, therefore, that their input will become a basis for dialogue and direction-setting at the 2015 Futures Conference, which will be held at USC on November 27.

This will be a powerful platform to put their views across to current business and community leaders and a chance for us all to map a path to get us to the future that we deserve.